NOW ON DVD

A MIGHTY HEART
Rated R

Angelina Jole, Dan Futterman, Denis O'Hare

Brian’s Rating       

The story of the kidnapping and horrific death of journalist Daniel Pearl at the hands of Middle Eastern terrorists is a tale of tragedy and treachery that is tempered only by the love of his wife and family.

A Mighty Heart, now on DVD, does its ambitious best to share this story with us, but the film’s director and editor seem more preoccupied with showing us what they learned in film school.

Angelina Jolie does a remarkable job as Pearl’s brave wife Mariane, but the filmmaker’s efforts to explain the story’s intricacies and behind-the-scenes developments are chaotic, disjointed and hard to follow.

I knew the basics, and I wanted to know more, but frankly, I just couldn’t keep up. A Mighty Heart certainly does justice to the memory of this dedicated professional and his loving family, but it is, more times than not, a bit confusing.